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Sharknado 2: The Second One (Review)

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Sharknado 2: The Second One

Sharknado 2 the Second One SyFy
2014
Written by Thunder Levin
Directed by Anthony C. Ferrante

How can the same shark happen to the same guy twice?

The Sharknadoes are back and this time they’re taking on the Big Apple! But New Yorkers aren’t going to just stand by and let their city get destroyed by a bunch of shark-laced tornadoes. Thus the people fight back, and more importantly, returning Sharknado hero Fin leads the fight against the sharknadoes. With Sharknado 2: The Second One, Asylum and SyFy step back into the world of viral creature feature movies, and score a monster hit. Not only was this the highest SyFy original movie ever (with 3.9 million viewers), but it’s also entertaining and fun. The action is bigger and more consistent throughout the whole film, leading to less of the pacing problem that the original Sharknado faced.
Sharknado 2 the Second One SyFy
Sharknado 2 edges its predecessor with more ridiculous stunts and better graphics. The money shots are given a high quality look to better make cool gifs. The well-paced action provides continual entertainment, beginning with a ridiculously awesome plane sequence that just keeps raising the stakes and the body count. The excuses to get people moving around felt more genuine than Sharknado‘s goal post moving search for family. Sharknado 2 has what is the best excuse for not being able to reach someone by cell phone I’ve seen in a movie (the guy shuts it off so he can spend quality time with his son and not be distracted by work! So much better than random “out of service” shots or just ignoring phones altogether.)
Sharknado 2 the Second One SyFy
Fin Shepard (Ian Ziering) and his ex-wife April Wexler (Tara Reid), who he is now reconciling with, are on route to New York City, his hometown and where his sister and her family live. But the flight path is right through the latest forming sharknado, and soon the plane is a disasterpiece that Fin has to land himself. Things become a desperate struggle to get his family to safety and to save the city from the sharknadoes, while chomping death flies in the skies and rains down on the people. Only chainsaws, buzzsaw hands, swords, guns, freon tanks, and a host of celebrity cameos can save New York City from nature’s wrath!
Sharknado 2 the Second One SyFy
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The Big Year

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The Big Year


2011
Directed by David Frankel
Written by Howard Franklin
The Big Year
The Big Year takes place in the world of birding, where obsessive fans of feathered friends spend their time watching and following birds. They learn the songs, know the species, and some can even imitate their favorite birds. And there is no greater glory in the world of birding than the Big Year, where a birder spends an entire year seeing as many bird species as possible.

Now, as a biologist, I’ve meet birders and can understand where they’re coming from, even if I have no desire to trek through swamps and snow to spot rare birds with pink feet. Myself, I’m perfectly fascinated by even the most common birds. Crows, starlings, mourning doves, all are cool in my book. Granted, the herons, egrets, and hawks I spy on the drive home are awesome as well. Maybe I am a secret birder…
The Big Year

The Big Year is ultimately about obsession. About a hobby, about love, about doing what you love but also living your life. It’s based on Mark Obmascik’s book The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature and Fowl Obsession, which I haven’t read. But I did get free tickets to an advanced screening, so once again, Tars sells out!

Brad Harris is ostensibly the main character, but in reality there are three main characters, three story arcs, three paths. All of the three main characters want to be the best, to win. but not all of them will win. Only one can be the best. And sometimes, the quest is only the beginning.

Brad Harris (Jack Black) – Brad is the everyman loser who lives at home and is stuck in a dead end job. His only joy in life is birds, recognizing the calls of any bird he hears. He decides to embark on The Big Year seemingly on a lark. He has nothing else going on in life, and this seems to be the one thing he’s wanted to do for years, and has finally gotten around to trying it.
Stu Preissler (Steve Martin) – Stu is a businessman who has been working his whole life wheeling and dealing, all while secretly obsessing over birds. It has been his dream, but he can’t retire. Whenever he tries, he just gets sucked back in. But it’s time, time for Stu. Time to do what he wants for once. But throughout the film, his former employees will continually call upon him to help them run the company as they get into trouble.
Kenny Bostick (Owen Wilson) – Bostick is the prior record holder for The Big Year. He’s spotted more birds in a year than anyone ever. And he can’t let it go. He continues to go birding. He’s on wife #3, birding destroying at least one of the prior marriages. And he’s ready to go off again, especially once he discovers others are closing in on the record.

The Big Year
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